


Mageirocophobia

by Darkstarling



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Cultural Differences, Gen, Hope In Odd Places, It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 05:44:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18004952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkstarling/pseuds/Darkstarling
Summary: The former Emperor awakes in a panic. Fortunately, she knows exactly what has her so on edge.That food synthesizer is done for.





	Mageirocophobia

Emperor Georgiou woke suddenly. She didn’t move, or even change her breathing. Lessons drilled into her over a lifetime took over as she lay still to keep the advantage of surprise. There was a moment of disorientation at the unfamiliar bed before she placed herself. Her quarters, on a starship belonging to Section 31. Even in the process of coming to her senses, the name still struck her as hilariously euphemistic. 

The reassuring hum of the drone over her bed was the next thing to register, to her relief. The lethal little device would have instantly attacked any intruders. In deference to this universe’s sensibilities it would merely deliver a disabling neurolytic pulse, agonizing but ultimately harmless. Still, she was likely in no immediate danger.

She listened carefully, breathed in through her nose to check for any obvious toxic gasses or alien aromas. More than once she had been alerted to an assassin by the perfume of a fool noble with more ambition than sense. Or the murky smell of an Andorian who had spent hours crawling through the ventilation ducts. After that incident she’d had all the conduits electrified. This time, however, there was nothing. A breath to center herself and she snapped open her eyes, drawing the phaser from beneath her pillow and sweeping it across the room ready to fire.

There was nothing. The room was as empty as it had been when she went to sleep, lit only by the controls of the synthesizer on the far wall and the reassuring light pulsing from the drone.

She let out a breath and collapsed against the wall, trying to suppress the shakes. Deep breaths to get her heart under control, even as her eyes darted around the room. Trying to figure out what had woken her. As if she didn’t already know. Well, she might have been deposed but she still had been the Emperor. Waking up in a panic like this was beneath her. She was going to do something about this, once and for all.

Hours later, the parts of the synthesizer were spread across the floor in a tightly organized system, and she was tearing through the device’s code in increasing frustration when the door chimed. She snarled at the interruption, before realizing that it was well into the morning by ship time. At least she had dressed when she woke. She stalked to the door, which swished open at her command to reveal Captain Leland. Typically, he didn't bother with a good morning.

“Phillipa, I wanted to let you know that we’ll arrive at Qo’noS in five hours. You’ve been over the mission briefing?”

“Of course.” She knew she needed to become invaluable, and quickly. “It was pleasantly thorough. Will there be any issues with my requisitions?”

“No, in fact we have some additional tricks I think you’ll…” he stopped, looking past her at the parts on the floor. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to find the remote access controls for the synthesizer.” Having been caught was unfortunate but hardly important. Anyone sensible would be doing the same. Time to brazen it out. With luck, she could parlay it into showing confidence and initiative. Leland for his part looked baffled. It was a genuinely impressive act.

“Please, I did survive as Emperor for forty years, and as heir before that. I’m hardly naive. This is yours by the way,” she added, retrieving a listening device she had found and cached by the door for exactly this kind of conversation. She had destroyed the others, but this one was well shielded and quite expensive. It made a reasonable peace offering.

Leland actually looked embarrassed as he took it from her, and coughed awkwardly. It was adorable. 

“Yes, well, you have to understand…”

“I understand completely. And it was quite a sensible precaution. But I won’t tolerate my privacy being invaded without a fight. You’ll have to work for it.” 

She didn’t try to suppress the smirk on her face, he seemed the kind of man who appreciated a challenge. Now, to throw a bone. Let him think he’s winning.

“Like this,” she said, gesturing to the parts behind her. “I’ve been through it from top to bottom and skimmed the code, but for now I can’t figure out how you control it remotely. It took me two hours to even figure out how it was weaponized. Aerosol trinary toxin synthesis, ingenious. Someone with less practical experience in exotic poisons would have missed it entirely.” 

She had also built up an immunity to that poison, and the others she had worked out how to create with it so far, but he didn’t need to know that.

And Leland was looking shocked. That was... unexpected.

“Are you telling me that the food synthesizers can make poison gas? There are supposed to be safeguards against that! But if you can bypass them you could kill any officer on the ship, or take out the entire crew at mess.”

“Isn’t that the point? The illusion of luxury backed by the threat of force. I was impressed by the subtlety.” 

She had meant it rhetorically. There was a reason that such devices had been banned from the Imperial Suite of the Charon, and it wasn’t because of the quality of her personal chef. But looking at Leland’s speechless face, it dawned on her that he had never thought of this before. He just wasn’t that good a liar.

Every Starfleet officer had a lethal weapon in their quarters that could be used to kill them at any time. And they didn’t realize it. It never even crossed their minds.

Georgiou started to laugh. She couldn’t help it. Of course she’d known intellectually that she was a long way from home. She knew this universe was different, and that promotion by assassination wasn’t a daily fact of life. That crews somehow functioned without the threat of decimation hanging over their heads. But staring at Leland’s shocked, naive, innocent face, it finally sunk in for her.

For the first time in her life, she was safe.

From the moment she was conceived she had been marked for death. As heir and as Emperor, every day had been a test and a struggle to survive. To prove that she was worthy of life. Worthy of the power she needed to protect herself and take another breath. And now…now that was all over. 

She was powerless, and she was free, and she was safe.

Leland’s speechless expression shifted instantly to one of concern, and he was looking at her with more than a little caution. Well, it wasn’t the appropriate amount of fear due her. He was made of sterner stuff than that, for now. But it was better than nothing.

“Are you alright?” He asked, in a tone that all but guaranteed his own quarters would have a collection of parts scattered across the floor before too long. She pulled herself together forcibly, though she couldn’t quite suppress a fierce smile.

“Quite alright, Captain. I was just thinking of how much I will enjoy working with you. Now, I believe you mentioned some tricks for the Klingons?”


End file.
